


Of All People, It Had To Be You

by MissNMikaelson



Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Angst, Bed & Breakfast, F/M, Fluff, Forbidden Love, Humor, Sharing a Bed, Smut, THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-25 23:35:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20379991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissNMikaelson/pseuds/MissNMikaelson
Summary: An egotistic hybrid's baby brother, a three year old crush, a hurricane and a B&B... what could go wrong?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own TVD or TO.
> 
> This started out as a one-shot and somehow turned into 10,000 words, and it's still condensed.
> 
> A few things to note.
> 
> 1\. Elena never became a vampire
> 
> 2\. Finn and Kol are not dead. (Finn does not make an appearance in this story either because in this reality he is living somewhere in the world with Sage as happy as he can be while being a vampire)

If she were going to give Klaus Mikaelson a title it would have been 'colossal-pain-in-the-ass', and if anyone ever mentioned his name her first thought would be: _Oh, Klaus: the royal pain in my ass. Yeah I know Klaus, and I really wish I didn't._ She hated him on principle. She hated him, but unlike her predecessor she possessed common sense along with self-preservation. She could fight back, turn, run, forgo everything she wanted in life and spend eternity looking over her shoulder, or she could give him what he wanted.

Klaus could be civil when she played along, so she went along with him, but this time he had gone way too far.

"So you're not gonna talk to me then?" Kol cocked an eyebrow.

Elena cast him a sideways look. He held her attention for less than a second before her eyes snapped back to the road… what she could see of the road.

Water poured over the windshield faster than the wipers were able to remove it. She saw the hood of the car, water and then the hood of the car again.

He slowed the vehicle to a crawl. Unable to see more than a few feet in front of the car, he came to a stop and turned on the four way flashing lights. He didn't see the point. In the rain nobody would be able to see them anyway, but the steady click-clack of the lights calmed her heart.

"Come on, love, say something," he reached for his phone.

She stared at the steady waterfall for a moment before turning to face him. She twisted in the seat and uncurled her stiff fingers from the car handle.

"You kidnapped me."

"I do believe you and Nik came to an agreement, darling," he clicked through the apps on his phone, coming to the map, "he allows you to live as you wish and you allow him access to the sweet ambrosia running through your veins."

"That deal involved him coming to me every few months," she glared at him, "it did not involve his baby brother kidnapping me and dragging me across country."

"You came along willingly," he pointed out, squinting at the map.

"Because if I didn't Klaus would have thrown a fit, and I'm not stupid. I know better than to tick him off." She crossed her arms and sat back with a huff. "And you went along with it and now we're stuck in the middle of nowhere in the center of a hurricane."

"I'm not happy about our current situation either, love, but my options were to pick you up and take you to New Orleans," he plugged the GPS coordinates into the navigation system, "or take a nap of an indeterminate length."

She peered at him through narrow eyes. Sarcasm laced her tone.

"Dagger threats? Isn't he sick of those?" She turned her attention back to the windshield. "If I were Klaus I'd be sick of my own voice."

He tried to refrain, but his head fell back as a loud laugh tore from his throat. The sound startled her, but after a moment her resentment vanished and she joined in his mirth.

She took a breath and exhaled slowly. Her eyes dropped to the large red arrow directing him to a nearby exit.

"I know New Orleans isn't that close."

"There's a bed and breakfast five minutes away…" he glanced out the window, "… maybe thirty."

"Admitting defeat," she teased.

"You know better than to anger Nik, darling," he drawled, "but I know better than to drive through a hurricane with his precious doppelganger."

"You know I have a name right?" She reached for the handle above her head as he moved back on the road. "I have a name and it's not 'love', 'darling', 'doppelganger', or 'darling blood bag'. It's Elena."

"As you wish, darling," he smirked.

Thirty-seven minutes and six 'Kol-slow-down's later he parked the car outside a three story house with a blue sign impossible to read through the heavy rain. She still squinted.

He got out, flashed around the side of the vehicle, grabbed the bags from the trunk and opened her door. He moved faster than she could see, but when he stilled the water had plastered his hair to his head.

She took a deep breath, steeled her nerves and stepped out into the cold. Water soaked through her shirt and jeans, saturated her sneakers and seeped into her socks.

She let him take her hand for no other reason than she couldn't see the path to the door.

She shivered under the jangling bell and crossed her arms.

A young woman came out from a room she took to be the office and cast a look that told her she looked like a drowned sewer rat. Her features morphed into a brilliant smile when he set the bags by the desk.

"Good evening, love," he flashed a charming smile. "We've managed to get caught in the rain."

"It's the hurricane," she blushed.

She rolled her eyes.

"She's nervous of driving through the storm, so we need a place to wait it out."

She approached as he tilted his head.

"Could you oblige us," he glanced at her chest to read her name tag, "Ruby?"

His accent washed over Ruby.

"I should be able to help with that," she turned to her computer. Every few seconds she would steal glances at him.

She rubbed her upper arms and curled her toes. A chill set in her bones.

"You are in luck," she swiped a card through a reader, "we have one room left. Will that be alright for you and…" she glanced at her again, "… your sister?"

"That will be fine, love," Kol passed her a black card, "and she's not my sister."

"You and your sister in close quarters usually leads to a dead body," Elena muttered under her breath.

He took the key card and picked up the bags before she could bend over. With a hand on her hip he steered her towards the stairs. Once out of ear shot he turned to meet her eyes with a mischievous grin.

"There would have been more than one body, love."

"You're not gonna…" she trailed off.

He slid the key card through the lock and twisted the doorknob.

"I promise to be on my best behaviour," he met her eyes, "unless, of course, you would prefer a more deviant attitude."

His eyes roamed over her upper body.

"I wouldn't," she cocked an eyebrow and made a point to ignore the tingle in her stomach that his smirk encouraged.

"Give it time."

He backed into the room.

She froze inside the door. The mustard yellow walls, steel grey curtains and marble fireplace failed to gain her attention. Her gaze zeroed in on the lone queen bed with its mountain of pillows.

They shared a sideways glance.

"Are you sure about that deviant behaviour, darling?"

She shook her head and reached out for her bag. Disappearing into the bathroom she stripped out of her wet clothes and dug through the duffle for a pair of sweats and a camisole.

* * *

"Seriously, darling?" Kol propped his body up with the aid of his elbow.

"Yes," Elena slammed a pillow in place. "I don't trust you to keep your hands to yourself." Her eyes lingered on his chiseled abs.

"I promised I'd be on my best behaviour," he smirked.

"What does that mean for you?" She flopped down and drew the blankets up over her chest.

"I suppose you'll have to find out," he chuckled.

Climbing out of the bed he moved to her side. He crouched, stoking the dying embers into a gentle fire; the muscles in his back rippling with the movement.

He stood, turned around and caught her gaze.

Her heart stuttered.

"At least I'm not ogling you like a piece of meat," he snickered. Climbing back in the bed he winked. "Not that I mind."

"Shut up, Kol," she drew the blanket over her head.

It surprised him how quickly she managed to fall asleep, but then again she had shared a bed with a vampire before and the drive had been stressful for her. He didn't exactly obey the laws of the road.

Somewhere between the state of awake and asleep he jerked awake. For a long moment he stared at the ceiling and attempted to understand what had woken him. Everything in the room remained the same as when he had closed his eyes.

He shook off the feeling rolled on his back fully prepared to sleep, but then the bed shifted. The mattress dipped and a pillow hit him in the face.

His eyes flew open.

He lifted his upper body in time to see her nose crinkle and the last pillow hit the floor. Elena rolled in her sleep.

He settled back against the mattress, folded his right arm beneath his head and closed his eyes. He was half asleep once more when a light weight landed on him.

He peeked out through his eye lashes confirming what he felt to be true. Her left arm and leg covered his stomach and thighs, and her head was on his shoulder.

A deep chuckle rumbled through his chest. Carefully he rolled her back to her side of the bed and closed his eyes.

* * *

She wrinkled her nose and tightened her arm over the pillow. A warm sense of protection washed over her from the heat on her lower back and beneath her ear. She opened her eyes slowly and blinked at the rippling shadows on the wall. A contented sigh moved to escape her mouth but died on her tongue.

It was not a pillow under her head.

She swallowed a lump in her throat and moved her head up until a chiseled jaw came into focus. Carefully she pulled her limbs free and slipped from the bed.

Kol didn't move.

The sound of the closing door roused him from sleep.

* * *

"I can't believe you ran out on me this morning."

Elena froze with the fork halfway to her mouth. A flush stained her cheeks.

Kol joined her at the table and sipped a cup of coffee. His eyes sparkled over the rim of the mug.

"I do so enjoy waking with a beautiful woman on top of me."

"What happened to best behaviour?" She chewed her scrambled eggs.

"This is best behaviour," he smirked.

"You've got a drop of blood," she pointed to the corner of her mouth.

He lowered the mug and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

She gave him a reproachful look.

"Relax, darling," he held out his arms, "Ruby is very much alive and unaware of the fact that she was my breakfast."

* * *

A flash of lightening illuminated the room and the pensive expression on her face.

She chewed her bottom lip.

"I know that look," Kol emerged from the bathroom. "If you're not careful, love, you'll give yourself frown lines."

"Maybe I like frown lines," she drew in a deep breath.

"What are you thinking so hard about, darling?" He leaned against the foot of the bed, surveying her profile.

"I'm wondering how comfortable that chair would be," she ran her fingers over the yellow fabric.

"You are not sleeping in the chair, and neither am I for that matter. There is a perfectly good bed right here." He patted the comforter.

She spun, hands on her hips and met his eyes.

"Why would I want to sleep next to someone who tore apart my pillow wall?"

"Is that what you think happened?" His lips lifted in a smirk; genuine amusement danced in his dark eyes.

"Yeah, that's what I think."

He stood and scooped her in his arms. He ignored her outraged cry and carried her to the bed.

"You are the one who moved the pillows, darling," he met her eyes. "I moved you back three times last night before falling asleep. Relax, love. There will be no funny business. Nik would dagger me if I tried."

* * *

The bed shifted under her every few seconds. Every few seconds a sharp jolt traveled the length of her spine.

Elena's eyes snapped open. The blinking digits on the alarm clock displayed the offensive hours of the morning.

A low sound rumbled behind her. She sat up and twisted on her hips.

Kol was flat on his back. A thin sheen of sweat covered his brow. His features twisted in a deep frown reflecting the fear leaking into his voice.

"Kol," she shook his shoulder. When that didn't work she cupped his cheek.

Electricity raced up her arm. The room disappeared and she was left staring at Klaus. Terror paralyzed her as much as the dagger.

She came back to her body and shook him again, violently.

"Kol!"

She called his name a few times before he sat up with a gasp.

Fear, stark and vivid, glittered in his eyes. A moment passed where he stared at her and drew in ragged breaths.

"It's okay," the gentleness in her voice surprised her. She gathered him into her arms and directed his head down until his ear rested over her heart.

"It's okay," she smoothed back his hair.

He shook against her body and followed her down, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"It's okay," her fingers stroked through his hair again and again. "It was a nightmare. You're okay."

"You saw it," he breathed against her breast. Her presence in his head had been unmistakable.

Her hand paused on the nape of his neck. Her voice came out quiet, hesitant.

"I didn't mean to."

She waited for him to pull away, but when his body continued to shake she resumed her hand's motion. The tension in his shoulders melted.

He clung to her slim body and drifted off to the soothing sound of her steady heartbeat. The strains of the recurring nightmare vanished in the warmth of her arms.

He hadn't slept for long when her heart sped up under his ear. He sat up, careful and slow.

"Darling?" He touched her shoulder.

She gasped for air. Her limbs thrashed against the mattress.

"Elena?"

His superb hearing allowed him to hear the quiet whimpers as she cried for her mom and dad. She wouldn't wake up.

He shifted onto his back and drew her trembling body with him. Covering her with the blankets he pressed her ear to his heart and his left hand to his temple.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and slipped into her head.

_The water weighed him down, crushing his limbs and burning his lungs. Peering into the gloom he swam towards the submerged vehicle._

_She sat inside struggling against the restraints to get to a man he could see wasn't breathing._

_The door tore away in his hand with a wrenching sound. The seatbelt snapped in his grip. She fought blindly against the arms he closed around her waist._

_He swam upwards and it was only after several minutes that he realized there was no end to the crushing waves. He had hoped for an easy rescue that wouldn't involve manipulating her mind further than entering her head, but that was not an option._

_He exhaled and watched the bubbles float upwards until they broke the surface. The rippling water morphed into the reflection of the moon. The moment he saw it he swam towards it and didn't stop until they broke the surface and Elena drew in a gasping breath._

_He spun her around and forced her to meet his eyes._

_"It's alright."_

Kol's deep voice rumbled under her ear. Her eyes snapped open and darted wildly around the room before finding his steady gaze.

She wondered if he had really been in her head, or if her subconscious had conjured him up when she started the nightmare.

"Go back to sleep Elena," he smoothed her hair from her face. "You'll have pleasant dreams. I give you my word."

* * *

The second morning in the bed and breakfast emerged as grey and dismal as the first. From the courtyard windows she could see several tree branches had broken off in the heavy winds.

"Weather network says it's supposed to stop tomorrow," he came up beside her. "We should be on our way by noon."

"One more night," Elena slid her hands into her back pockets.

"Sick of my company already, darling?" Kol pretended to be affronted. His voice lacked the usual teasing quality it held around her.

She tilted her head, looking up at him; an unreadable light shone behind his eyes.

"Ask me again tomorrow."

They passed the day in a companionable silence until she stifled a yawn.

"Will I have to fight to get you in bed again?" He glanced up from his book.

* * *

"Kol, pick up your bloody phone. I know you understand twenty-first century technology perfectly. When you see my name on your phone you answer! Pick up and tell me where the hell my doppelganger is!"

Elijah leaned in the study doorway and cocked an eyebrow. Surprise etched into his features when the phone didn't shatter on impact.

"Kol is with Elena?" He cocked an eyebrow.

Klaus glared in his direction.

"Kol is transporting her to New Orleans. They should have been here this morning." Rage flashed in his blue eyes. "If he's done something to her I'll stick him in a box for the rest of eternity."

Elijah calmly straightened his jacket.

"He picked her up from school, I presume?" He waited for Klaus' nod with all the patience his thousand years had given. "Have you forgotten that a hurricane has covered much of the coast, including the states Kol would have to drive through?"

* * *

Elena woke up in the middle of the night facing the wall. A harsh, low sound came from behind her. She rolled enough to look over her shoulder and spotter Kol facing in the opposite direction; no doubt in an effort to give her space and avoid the result of the previous nights.

His consideration would have been appreciated, but all Elena could muster was an eye roll.

"Kol," she grumbled, nudging him with her toes. "Kol, you're snoring."

She was amazed the sound hadn't woken those in the surrounding rooms.

Elena lacked the energy to roll over so she hooked her foot over his leg and tugged, hoping his brain would get the message. He didn't snore on his back.

The first tug yielded zero results, but on the second he rolled over.

He kept rolling.

The mental cheer cut off in her head.

His arm slung over her waist.

She should wake him up, or at the very least roll him back over, but she couldn't bring herself to do it for three very important reasons.

Number one: she was tired. If she moved she would lose the perfect position her body had found on the mattress. Number two: he stopped snoring. Her eyes drooped in the silence. And number three: his body rested against her back, warm and solid. The steady beat of his heart against her skin lulled her into a deep sleep.

When she finally woke up the next morning the sun streamed through the window, warming her face. A bright smile lifted the corners of her mouth, and she snuggled backwards into the broad chest.

A tiny wiggle of her hips snapped her back to reality, but the arm around her waist was stronger than iron.

"Kol?" He pressed against her firm behind, but the only verbal response she got was a deep sleep-laced hum.

"Kol?"

His mouth dragged over her shoulder as his arm tightened around her waist.

"Kol," she sighed.

He rolled his hips. His grip loosened. His fingers dragged down her stomach.

"K…" her voice dropped off in a strangled moan. Tendrils of heat followed his hand to the waistband of her sweatpants and her eyes snapped open. "Kol!"

The sharp cry startled him. She took advantage of the confusion to roll over and straddle his waist, pinning his hands above his head.

The futile action couldn't have stopped him, but the dazed look in his eye told Elena that he might not have been quite awake.

"Pleasant dreams?" She tilted her head.

With difficulty he struggled back to consciousness, chasing away the fragments of his dream that resembled his morning.

"Reality is much better," he teased, recovering from his shock. He gave a pointed look to where she held his wrists. "And surprisingly dominant."

Elena's brows shot up, but she didn't release his hands.

"That was a joke, darling."

He surprised her with a sincere smile.

"I do apologize if I've made you uncomfortable."

"I didn't think you knew what an apology was," she smirked. "I'm alright. What were you dreaming about anyway?"

Kol hesitated when he met her curious gaze.

"I think you'll be offended if I tell you."

A line appeared between her brows before an exasperated sigh slipped from her mouth.

"Don't tell me you had a thing for Katherine too."

"What?" He sat up quickly, wrapping his arms around her waist to keep her from tumbling off the bed. "I assure you darling, I do not now, nor have I ever possessed a 'thing' for Katerina Petrova. She's too – and forgive the expression – bitchy for my taste. She was not the Petrova haunting my dreams."

His eyes widened at the slip.

"Oh," she breathed.

He thought the disappointment in her eyes was well placed until she opened her mouth again.

"Tatia, then."

His eyes widened.

"Elena Gilbert," he clicked his tongue and held tight to her waist, "I'm going to let you in on a little secret that my brothers were too blind to see."

She frowned, but nodded for him to continue; curiosity winning out over her mortification.

"Tatia Petrova was worse that Katerina. She was a manipulative bitch who tore people apart for her own amusement; at least when Katerina does it she acts in the name of her survival."

"Well then who…" she trailed off when he looked at her, "… oh…" her knees buckled causing her thighs to tremble and her body to drop a few inches. "Oh…"

Her body connected with his.

Kol gritted his teeth. Heat spread down from her body. Through the layers of fabric he felt the slickness of her arousal.

"You were dreaming about me? How long have you been dreaming about me?" On instinct she shifted her hips.

"Who said it was you?" He groaned.

"You didn't say it wasn't," she tilted her head.

She should move, disentangle her body from him and let him go into the bathroom to take care of the very obvious problem he was having. She should move, but she wanted an answer.

"How long, Kol?"

He took a deep breath and met her eyes. The anticipation grew the longer his silence lasted until it was almost unbearable.

"The night we met," his eyes flickered to her lips. "I saw you walk into the ball, and you stole the breath from my lungs."

"You never said anything," she breathed. The familiar rush of heat swirled low in her abdomen. "It's been three years and you haven't said a word."

"Oh, but I did," he murmured. "I told you that you were off limits."

"I thought that meant Klaus said you couldn't hurt me," her eyes narrowed.

He shook his head and slipped his hands under her shirt to trace the base of her spine.

"He knew the moment he caught me looking at you that I'd never hurt you."

She gasped when he found a sensitive spot in her back and arched into him. Her hips ground down.

"Bloody hell," he hissed. "I've been alive for a thousand years, darling, and have excellent restraint, but if you keep that up I'm going to find myself in an embarrassing situati

"That doesn't say much for your restraint," she teased.

"Now who's acting deviant," he grasped her hips.

"I never promised to be on my best behaviour," she accentuated the point with a roll of her hips. She wasn't sure what had come over her. She'd had a crush on him since first seeing him on the grand staircase in the Mikaelson mansion, and now he was telling her he had felt it too.

Her gaze met his. The intensity in his eyes stoked the fire between her legs. She was powerless to resist his hypnotic stare.

His large hand slid up her spine, dragging the tight camisole to the middle of the back before coming free of the fabric and continuing the journey to her cheek. He held her face gently and searched her eyes, giving her plenty of time to pull away.

His breath fanned over her face and she wound her arms around his neck.

He hovered over her mouth for a long moment and summoned every ounce of self-control he had to wait for her to make the next move.

She bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes to silence the voice that said going through with it was a bad idea. The worst move she could ever make. Tilting her head an inch she pressed her lips to his.

The first kiss was slow, tentative, and surprisingly gentle. They explored each other's mouths before he pulled away to give her much needed air.

Her breasts brushed over his chest with every quick breath in.

"Elena…" he met her dark eyes.

The reality of the situation passed between them. He could find himself locked away for the rest of her natural life that his brother would ensure was a living hell for her.

"I know," she licked her lips. "There is a saying; you might have missed it in the last century."

"Oh?"

The touch of his hand became almost unbearable in its tenderness. Her fingers slid into his hair.

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," she breathed.

Elena slipped out of his arms and reached for the hem of her camisole. She tore it over her head, taking her hair with the fabric until it fell over her shoulder in a dark waterfall.

She swallowed and met his eyes. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip. Rejection stung her, but before she could move to cover her chest or make a beeline for the bathroom to wait out her mortification he gathered her in his arms and held her to his chest.

"Are you sure?" He searched her eyes. The moment she nodded he recaptured her lips in a harsher kiss than the first one.

He flipped her over and pressed her into the mattress.

Her body tingled under the exploration of his hands. The touch of his lips on her skin was delicious.

His lips left hers to nibble at her earlobe and sear a path down her neck. He teased the rapid pulse in her throat with blunt teeth until she moaned and arched her hips.

She threaded her fingers through his hair as he moved down.

His tongue darted out, tasting the stiff nipple of her left breast. He moved to her other side as his hand seared a path down her abdomen to the band of her sweatpants. His lips followed the path of his hand.

He paused at the band of her pants.

Elena propped herself on her elbows and met his eyes. She nodded, lifting her hips.

He hooked his thumbs into the sides of her pants and underwear, sliding the fabric down her legs.

She drew her knees together to make the process easier for him.

He tossed the last of her clothes on the floor and caressed her leg, running his fingertips over the length of her calve. His eyes drank in every last inch of her body, memorizing her as he would a photograph.

"You're overdressed," she sat up.

"A fact easily rectified," he stood up.

Her eyes darkened when he divested himself of his sleep pants. He gave her a moment to ogle him and then gently turned her so her legs dangled over the side of the bed.

He sank to his knees.

Her expectations were low. Caroline raged about the pleasure a guy could bring with his tongue, but she had yet to experience it herself.

He teased her thighs with slow kisses and blunt teeth until a hot flush crept over her skin. The smell of her arousal spread through him. Meeting her eyes he stuck out his tongue and licked a long stripe through her glistening folds. The taste proved more addicting than he had anticipated.

Elena tried to keep her eyes open to watch him, but her low expectations were quickly surpassed. He broke up the long licks of his tongue with quick flicks against her clit. The lashes tightened a spring in her belly.

He added a finger, slowly entering her tight body.

Her eyes fluttered closed.

He crooked his fingers and took her clit in his mouth, sucking hard.

The coil snapped. A soft cry tore from her swollen lips.

Her walls fluttered around his finger.

As she came down he guided her back with gentle hands and moved to hover over her. He slipped two fingers into her and pumped slowly, bending to catch her lips in a passionate kiss.

She moaned at the taste of herself on his tongue and dragged her nails down his abdomen until her fingers curled around his hard length.

It was difficult to concentrate with his hand between her legs and his tongue in her mouth, but she managed to find a rhythm that pleased him and dragged rumbling moans from him; she lost it when he pushed her through a second orgasm.

Her fingers slid upwards, around the smooth expanse of his waist; muscles quivered under her hands exploration of the strong muscles in his back.

A strong thigh hooked over Kol's waist; he flipped over on his back.

Elena dragged her lips over his jaw and down his throat, quickly locating a spot that drew a ragged moan from him. She rolled her hips in time with the sharp thrust of his hips.

Her teeth nipped at his carotid artery. She licked and kissed across his shoulders, memorizing the taste and feel of his body.

His hands slid over the silken skin of her back to her hips and around her thighs.

One hand left Elena's body and she sat up as his cock trailed through her wet folds. She planted her palms over his abdomen and sank down, gasping as he entered her.

His hands roamed over her skin, cupping her breasts; the nipples hardened under his palms. He smirked when she took his hands and pinned them to the mattress over his head.

She moved; slow at first, and picking up speed to match the upward thrusts of Kol. Her fingers slid over his wrists and slotted between his.

When the pace stuttered he flipped her at vampire speed and let go of one of her hands to hook her leg over his waist. Elena arched upwards as he moved, but keeping up with him proved impossible as the snap of his hips became too fast to be considered human.

He felt her muscles tense and slipped one hand between their bodies to rub her clit. Her pulse hammered in her neck. The veins under his eyes darkened. He gritted his teeth, burying his face in her neck to hide his features but he couldn't resist running his teeth over the fluttering artery.

Elena tilted her head and grasped the back of his neck. Her voice came out in a breathy moan, but the meaning was clear.

He shook his head. He wanted to sink his teeth into her throat, but his heart stuttered at the thought of potentially hurting her, so he kissed her instead.

Elena ran her hands down his back and felt the muscles in his back tighten and strain right before her vision went white. When she came back down Kol was still and she tasted copper on her lip.

The flush stained her body from head to toe. With great reluctance she unhooked her legs from his waist. Her body followed his.

She laid her head on his chest. Her fingers traced the length of a faint scar over his chest. She paused when he pressed his thumb to her bottom lip.

She eyed the red bead of blood on his skin, but opened her mouth. Nobody could see the puncture over her lip.

A thin sheen of sweat clung to her skin.

Safety that wouldn't last encircled her with his arms, but their tiny bubble broke; shattered by the sudden buzz of her cell phone.


	2. Chapter 2

Kol directed the car off the main highway, parking on the side of an old country road that led to New Orleans and the brother that neither of them wanted to see.

A line appeared between her brows.

"What are you doing?" She shifted in her seat.

"Three miles," he reached for her hand, running his thumb over her knuckles. "Three miles and the last three days never happened."

She stared down at his hand in hers, not wanting to let go.

"He won't wait forever," she squeezed his hand. Kol had told him they were two hours out of the city an hour and a half before.

"There's time for this," he met her dark eyes.

"Time for…"

He smothered her final words with a kiss, at once desperate and soft. Her lips parted under the smooth sweep of his tongue. Metal clicked and suddenly her weight settled on top of him. His fingers threaded through her long hair. The desire to have her skin pressed against him was overpowering, but for that they didn't have time.

She panted, breath fanning over his parted lips.

"One more to remember you by," he explained.

Elena closed her eyes. Tilting her head she brushed her lips over his once more.

* * *

"Where the bloody hell have you been?"

Elena's stomach clenched. Icy fear gripped her heart. She crossed her arms over her chest and forced herself to meet Klaus' eyes.

"In case you didn't notice there was a hurricane," her voice held a strength she had never realized.

Klaus' glare cut from Elena to Kol who was carrying her bag. "You didn't drive through it?"

"Of course not," Kol rolled his eyes.

"You already knew that Niklaus," Elijah scanned his newspaper. "I told you they were checked into a hotel in Georgia."

"Yes a single room in a bed and breakfast," Klaus' eyes narrowed.

Kol responded with a bored tone she hadn't heard since he showed up at her dorm. "They only had one room, Nik. Would you have rather I risked her life on the road searching for another? I nearly crashed getting there."

Elena shuddered at the memory or the tree that came out of nowhere.

"Do relax Nik," he sighed. "We had a very uneventful three days."

"Nothing happened?" Klaus turned his stare on Elena.

She couldn't lie, but that didn't mean she had to tell him everything. She shrugged one shoulder and pursed her lips.

"His snoring woke me up in the middle of the night."

* * *

She couldn't sleep in the guest room Klaus had shown her. She had tossed and turned for over an hour before admitting defeat. She knew what she needed to sleep; it was the same thing that happened after she shared a bed with someone. She missed the weight of his arm over her body and his chest beneath her hand.

It had happened after she broke up with Stefan, with Damon and with the human boyfriend that Klaus had loved more than she did. Once they broke up she struggled to sleep alone. She had always fixed the problem with pillows – behind her back, under her arm, beneath her knees – but no amount of throw pillows seemed to make up for the loss of Kol.

She couldn't sleep in the guest room, so she wandered through the halls and peeked into all of the rooms with open doors. She found a study that she assumed belonged to Elijah. The art studio was clearly the property of Klaus.

Several minutes were spent in the nursery watching the steady rise and fall of Hope's chest and wondering how someone like Klaus had created someone so sweet. She assumed the personality came from Hayley.

She backed out of the nursery and pulled the door until it was almost closed again and moved on down the hall. Every other door in the hall was firmly closed until she reached the end. She had expected the door to be closed so when it opened under her hand she stumbled sideways into the room. She caught herself on the nightstand next to the door and dragged her eyes up to the body in the bed as it jerked upwards.

Her mouth popped open, ready to stammer an excuse to whosever room she had fallen in, but the words died on her tongue.

Kol took in the circles under her eyes and motioned for her to close the door.

She glanced back into the hall to make sure nobody had seen her entrance and pushed the door until it clicked shut.

"What are you doing, darling?"

He failed to keep his voice low and hurried to explain when she cast him a curious glance. "Freya silenced the house. Closing the doors activates the spell."

"Is that why the nursery door isn't closed?" She mirrored his nod. "I couldn't sleep," she whispered the words, "and I'm a little turned around. The halls all resemble the rest after dark."

"I'm sure Nik will be thrilled to hear that," he chuckled. "Why couldn't you sleep?"

She chewed her bottom lip. Her thumb found the dimple in her elbow and rubbed.

"My… uh… my bed felt empty," she admitted. "I thought I'd wander around until I was too tired to notice."

She held her breath when he looked at her and didn't exhale until he shifted and patted the side of the bed.

"I can't," she protested, but her feet were already moving.

"Until you fall asleep love," he captured her hand. "I'll take you back to your room after."

"What about…?" She trailed off.

"If Nik catches me I'll tell him you got lost and fell asleep," Kol pulled her down and lifted the duvet over her shoulders. Scooping her into his arms he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

* * *

Elijah placed Hope in her high chair and moved about getting her breakfast when he heard the first loud crash. A second and third followed before his brother appeared in the kitchen.

"Dada," Hope's arms stretched out for him.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Klaus scooped her up and pressed a kiss to her cheek. His eyes sought Elijah the moment Hope fiddled with his necklace. "Where is she?"

"Your daughter is in your arms, Niklaus," he poured a small amount of milk into her cereal.

"Elena," he snapped. "She's not in her bed and the sheets are cold. Do you know where she is? Or do I have to send out a search party? The last thing I need is the witches getting their hands on my doppelganger."

"Then perhaps you shouldn't have brought Elena to New Orleans," Elijah passed him the bowl of cereal.

"I could do without your sarcasm, brother," he grumbled, placing Hope back in her seat. He passed her a spoon and moved to cut up some fruit.

"I do not know where she is," he sighed, "but I will go and check. Try not to tear the house apart until you have a valid reason."

Elijah left his brother in the kitchen and moved to Elena's room. A faint whisper of her scent clung to the sheets but it was clear she hadn't slept in the bed, and any trail she might have left disappeared during the night. He moved through the house, quick and quiet and found no trace of her and resolved to wake Kol and start a thorough search of the city. Elena knew better than to run from Klaus, so the odds were better that a witch had lured her from the house and Kol had the best relationships with the witch community.

He knocked on his brother's door and opened when there was no answer. The little air he had in his lungs flew from his body because he had found Elena.

Her dark hair covered the place Kol held her hand to his chest and her left leg was slung over his thighs. Beneath the sheet around her waist his hand rested on her clothed hip.

Kol's features were more relaxed than Elijah could ever remember seeing.

Klaus' voice drifted upstairs reminding him of his earlier task. He estimated ten minutes before he reached the second floor.

He placed his hand on Elena's shoulder, but it didn't matter how gentle he was because Kol's eyes snapped open the second he felt her pulled away.

Elijah slapped his hand over his mouth and shook his head, signifying that Kol should remain silent if he wished to avoid a dagger.

Elena mumbled something unintelligible, but otherwise raised no objection to Elijah lifting her from the bed. She started to come awake when he was midway down the hall and Klaus spotted them from the other end.

"Where was she?" He balanced Hope on his hip.

"She fell asleep in another room," Elijah placed her on her feet.

Elena blinked at the hallway and glanced between the Original brothers. Sleep still laced her mind and her body mourned the loss of Kol's warmth.

"I assume she went for a midnight stroll and got turned around in the dark," he continued in a smooth voice. "Is that what happened, Elena?"

Stunned, she could do nothing but nod.

Elijah placed his hand on her hip and steered her toward an open door. Her heart skittered.

"I'm certain she'd like to shower and eat something before you take blood today."

Several hours later – after it had been agreed Elena couldn't miss anymore classes – Elijah stood next to Kol watching a plane take off.

Kol tracked the upward trajectory with his eyes as his heart constricted. The weight of Elijah's stare sat heavy to his left.

"What is it?"

"I want you to be careful," he turned his attention to the sky. "You're playing a dangerous game."

Kol watched the plane, but all he could see was dark hair cascading over Elijah's sleeve. He inclined his head and met the reflection of his brother's eyes in the window.

"I'm not playing games."

* * *

Two AM; the wee hours of the morning and she still she stared at her ceiling. Comfort had proven to be unobtainable much as it had for the last few weeks. She found her mind drawn to him and the four nights they had shared a bed at the most inopportune moments: the middle of the night when she should be sleeping, the middle of class when she should be working, and in the middle of helping Caroline with the latest charitable project she had taken on for Christmas.

The lingering question sat in her mind: the great what if. What could have been if she had been born to a different body? Where they could have gone if he had been born to another family?

She shifted in the bed to stare at the blinking red numbers of her alarm clock. A light rain pattered against the window pain, casting rolling shadows on the desk across from her bed.

Beyond the rain came the faint whisper of wind, but the wind sounded beyond her door.

She sat up and dragged her tired eyes to the door. In the thin line of light along the floor stood two dark shadows. Her heart rushed.

She gripped her cream coloured comforter in her clammy hands, waiting with baited breath for whatever drunken student it was to move on.

One minute turned to two and two bled into ten and still the shadow remained; it had shifted enough to tell her the person was moving a few inches beyond the wood.

Ten more minutes ticked by and her annoyance flared.

"Seriously," she muttered – a by-product of rooming with Caroline the previous year.

She had barely whispered the word and swung her legs off the bed when knuckles wrapped on wood, light and hesitant.

She shuffled to the door with a line between her brows. Licking her lips she prepared to tell off the person on the other side and yanked open the door.

Her mouth popped open. She inhaled and forgot how to exhale.

Dark spots stained his shoulders and the front of his shirt. He stood with his toes pressed to her threshold. Emotion flashed in his dark eyes, and Elena knew then why he had stood there so long; he had been waiting for a sign that she was awake.

He took a quick breath and reached for her hand before remembering the threshold that kept him in place.

She almost quipped about a middle of the night kidnapping, but the rawness – the vulnerability – in his gaze held her tongue.

It was his hoarse whisper that broke the silence.

"I've suffered night terrors for a thousand years. First it was my father's sword, and then it was the fires closing in," his gaze grew unfocused – his mind lost in the memory. "Most recently it's been Nik with his favorite threat of all. I haven't slept a full night since I was human…"

Her breath shook, but her fingers were steady as they brushed his wet hair from his forehead. His hand came up and held hers in place against his jaw, eyes snapping back to hers.

"… but then you came along and your very being radiates this brilliant light. The nights I held you that light shone bright and chased my demons back to the shadows. And that is my very long, convoluted way of telling you that I haven't slept properly since the last time you were in my arms."

"Kol," she exhaled, tilting her head, "our situation… it hasn't changed. One of those nightmares is a real possibility for you."

"I've weighed this in my mind for weeks, darling," he turned his head and kissed her palm, "and I've come to the conclusion that the risk is worth it to see where this could go. Do you?"

"Do I think your life is worth the risk?" Her brows lowered. His voice cut her off before she could shake her head.

"Forget about my life, Elena. I want to know if you think what he will throw at you is worth it? If he catches on you'll be under guard for the rest of your life. I can handle whatever Nik throws at me because I know no matter what happens, or how angry he is he will never kill you."

Her breath stuck in her throat. He could be put in a box for the remainder of her life and likely longer, or if Klaus was feeling particularly cruel he might rouse him while she was on her death bed. Klaus might never find out and whatever had begun to grow between them could fizzle out. The final possibility terrified her as much as it thrilled her: it could lead somewhere wonderful.

She twisted her hand around, curling her fingers around his palm. Her feet moved backwards into the dorm room; she pulled him with her and murmured a soft 'come in'.

The door clicked shut and in the ensuing silence he held her face in his hand. His thumb traced the dark circle beneath her left eye. Dipping his head he met her halfway in a feather light brush that was more caress than kiss.

She met his eyes; an unspoken agreement passed between them.

Elena slid into the bed, lowered her head to the pillow and watched him undress. He folded most of his clothes and hung his wet jacket on a hook by the door, before slipping beneath her comforter.

Her dorm room bed left an inch on either side of them, but that suited the pair fine. Kol's arm shifted under her body when she placed her head on his chest. Her breathing leveled out, for him sleep followed within moments.

* * *

She traced the defined muscles on his stomach and inhaled the intoxicating mix that was his cologne, him, and the lingering traces of her body wash. Outside the door she heard students shouting in the hall for roommates to hurry up so they didn't miss a second of spring break.

"Will you be fleeing to warmer climes?" His chest rumbled beneath her ear.

"I have no desire to do 'spring break'," she snickered. "I did that last year with Caroline and the hangover lasted until finals."

"But getting you drunk and watching you make bad decisions sounds so fun," he combed through her hair with his fingers.

"I make perfectly bad decisions sober, thank you very much," she propped her chin on his chest.

"You don't have to remind me of that," his eyes twinkled. "Do I sense a bad decision coming on right now?"

Elena moved up his body, dragging her breasts over him; her flesh tingled beneath the thin cotton.

"Probably the worst one I'll ever make," she teased. She kissed the tip of his nose, then his cheek before finally placing a satisfying kiss on his mouth.

The hand in her hair curled tighter and his mouth shifted under hers; Elena had never felt the need to experiment with drugs, but she was certain his kisses were pure ecstasy. She could have spent the rest of the day trading lazy kisses with him, but the familiar heat rose in her blood.

He pulled his lips from her mouth and kissed his way to her neck.

She rolled on top of him with the intention of reaching for the hem of her shirt, but the whisper of words on her throat gave her pause.

Her heart stuttered. She couldn't have heard him right.

"What did you say?" Her fingers splayed over his chest as she sat up, straddling his waist.

He met her wide eyes with their hopeful glint and slowly sat up, placing his hands on her hips.

"I said that," his thumbs rubbed circles over her shirt, lifting the fabric a few inches, "I love you, darling."

"You…?" Her fingers trailed over his skin; a warm glow filled her.

"… Love you, Elena Gilbert," he smiled. "I love you, Elena Gilbert."

A wide smile spread over her features. They had spent months together allowing her emotions to grow until she had been certain they would burst from her mouth at any given time; she had never expected him to say them first.

"I love you, too."

He caught her lips in a kiss that was more a smile than anything else. Joy bubbled up in her laugh and shone in his eyes.

For one moment that was destined to end far too soon they sat in a bubble of pure happiness, but then his phone vibrated on her nightstand and she read the caller ID. Her mood shifted.

Ice spread through her stomach, carrying with it an acute sense of loss.

"What's wrong?" He lifted his mouth from her neck, following her eyes he read the caller ID on his phone. His temper flared, but he it was better to deal with him sooner than later so he snatched the phone and pressed it to his ear. "What is it Nik?"

_"Rebekah tells me you're somewhere in Virginia."_

"You know, most people say hello."

_"I'm in a bit of a rush. Are you in Virginia or not?"_

"Yes."

_"Wonderful; I find myself in need of some doppelganger blood."_

"I'm not a blood mule," he gritted his teeth.

Elena's breath caught.

_"It's a very simple request, Kol, so drag yourself out of whatever whore's bed you've crawled into, pick up a couple vials of blood and deliver them here."_

The phone clicked before he could reply.

"How much of that did you hear?"

She moved to sit with her back against the wall and draped her leg over his thigh. She blinked at the desk chair and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"How long can we keep this up?" She whispered.

"Elena…"

"I'm serious, Kol," she turned her head to look at him.

"I would spend the rest of my eternity with you." He twisted to sit next to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulder.

"How exactly are we meant to do that?" A hysterical laugh bubbled up in her throat.

"Would you ever consider turning?" He kissed the top of her head.

"If I turn I'll have to spend the rest of my life running from Klaus, and so will you because he'll dagger you for it," she shook her head.

"We would have to disappear," he agreed, whispering the words in her hair.

"And what does that make me?" Tears stung her eyes.

"Alive and free from Nik," he joked, attempting to make her laugh.

"No, Kol," she shook her head, "it makes me Katherine, tearing your family apart. I can't do that."

He stiffened. "Where does that leave us?"


	3. Chapter 3

Elena hugged her pillow tight and stared at the wall that had been her constant companion for the better part of a week. If it weren't for Caroline making constant trips to the dorm room and throwing her spring break plans out the window she might have never moved.

A knock sounded on the door. Caroline with dinner, making sure she ate something. The blonde was one of the only ones who knew everything after she had caught them together in January.

She sniffed and buried her face under the blankets.

The knock came again.

"Come in," her broken whisper was muffled by the comforter. Only after she had said it did it cross her mind that Caroline wouldn't knock.

"I'll take that as an invitation."

Barely able to breath she poked her head out from under the blanket and looked over her shoulder to confirm what her ears had already told her.

"Elijah?" She sat up, swiping at her cheeks.

"I'm afraid I don't have much time," he spun her desk chair around and sat, "so perhaps you could be helpful and answer me honestly."

She scooted back into the corner where her bed was pressed. Her heart always gave away her lies, so she nodded.

Her fingers picked at a loose thread on her comforter. She had stopped being able to smell his cologne on the sheets days before.

"You're in love with my brother."

Her body came alert. Could he smell Kol in her room?

The heavy lashes shadowing her cheeks flew up. He took her wordless stare and pounding heart as the admission he sought. Her lips parted slightly.

Tears shimmered in her eyes.

"He is in love with you."

She blinked, lowering her eyes, and a glistening tear dropped from her lashes to the pillow clutched in her hands.

"You with to be with him," he passed her a handkerchief, "but fear Niklaus will kill you and harm him if you transition."

She nodded slowly and wiped at her eyes, crumpling his handkerchief in her hands.

"How?" She whispered.

"Niklaus sees what he wishes to see," Elijah straightened his cuffs, "and as long as he heard you were safe he didn't look further. You two were lucky the vampire checking in on you answered to me and not him. I got a call on Sunday morning saying your mood had taken a drastic shift; that coupled with Kol's reappearance and sudden depression told me what I needed to know. He loves you, but you already knew that."

Elena was too surprised to do more that nod.

"Do you want to be with him?"

She found her voice, fragile and thin. "I can't."

"That's not what I asked you," he shifted to sit on the edge of her bed. Elena hugged her knees to her chest. "Is Niklaus the only thing between you? If he were not an issue would you be with Kol right now?"

"Yes," she chewed her bottom lip. "I love him."

"Then I must apologize for what I'm about to do."

Her eyes snapped to his, confusion flashed in the depths. Her vervain filled necklace was torn from her throat and she gasped.

He caught her chin before she could look away. "Hold still."

Every muscle froze. Fear was an acceptable response, but she could feel nothing beyond curiosity as she watched him.

He pulled a vial from an inner pocket – one of the three she had sent with Kol days before – and placed it on her nightstand. A second vial filled with a thick crimson liquid that was not blood.

"Drink this," he held it out.

Her brows rose; she made no move to fight against the compulsion. The whisper of a memory slid through her mind; the vial held herb infused wine and the distinct taste of copper: her blood.

Elijah reached into his pocket and placed a small object beside her vial of blood.

She looked from the now empty vial to the one on her night stand: a potion of herbs and blood, her blood, and a lapis lazuli ring.

"How did you do this?" She ran her tongue over her teeth.

"I believe you briefly met Freya during your day in New Orleans," he tilted his head. "Did you know we lived in the city a century ago?"

She nodded. Kol had told her about it: how Klaus and Elijah had daggered him, and how his siblings had been forced to flee from Mikael a few years later.

"My father found me before burning the city," his eyes took on a far off look. "He nearly killed me and left behind a sliver of white oak. I've held onto it since then, and a few days ago I gave it to Freya along with a vial of your blood."

"Klaus will dagger you," she breathed.

"He'd have to find them first," he chuckled, "and he'll find them very difficult to locate. Torment is the worst he can do."

His fingers curled around her neck.

"Elijah…" he paused and met her eyes, "… why are you doing this?"

"Because in a thousand years I've only ever seen Kol happy when he's with you," he cocked an eyebrow, "or are you referring to the compulsion?" She nodded once and he smirked. "Because Niklaus cannot blame you for a stolen choice."

"Is this going to hurt?" She swallowed.

"A split second, and then nothing until you wake up." He gave her an inquisitive look, allowing her a chance to say no – take everything back and say she wanted her human life – but she said nothing.

Elena inhaled her final breath as his fingers tightened on her throat. The last thing she heard was the snap of her neck.

Elijah lowered her onto the bed until it looked like she was sleeping and sat down. He reached for his vibrating cell phone when the door opened to reveal Caroline Forbes.

Her eyes darted from Elijah to the bed where her best friend's heart no longer beat.

"Niklaus," he spoke into his phone.

_"Where are you? The witches are up to something, and you're needed."_

"I'm certain Freya can handle the witches," he listened as Caroline's heart raced. Rage filled the small dorm room. "I had to take a trip to Whitmore."

_"I don't suppose you checked in on Elena."_

The sound of her best friend's name snapped Caroline out of her silence.

"He killed her," she shrieked, knowing full well that Klaus could hear her. The response that came back was not Klaus' voice as the phone was ripped from his hand.

_"You what?"_

"Do relax, Kol," Elijah sighed. "Miss Forbes is speaking without all of the facts. I did not kill Elena. I compelled her and turned her…" a loud crash came through the speaker, "… she would have never agreed otherwise. You've been moping around for a week over that very fact." He glanced at the bed where Caroline sat smoothing Elena's hair away from her face. "If you get on the plane now you should get here in time for her to wake up."

* * *

He raced through the empty halls – devoid of students still on break – at vampire speed. He had almost reached the door when he was shoved into the opposite wall.

"I believe that's close enough," Elijah held him by his throat.

"Let go of me," Klaus' complexion turned purple. When Elijah held his ground he got a grip on his wrist and shoved him down the hall.

Elijah got to his feet but before he could make a move to defend himself razor sharp fangs punctured his forearm. He tore his arm away, twisted and forced Klaus to his knees. His strength waned under the toxin running through his veins.

Kol ignored both of them and rushed into the dorm room.

Freya and Rebekah came to a sudden stop. Relief washed over him.

"Sister," he grunted, "I wonder if you might oblige me in a binding spell."

"Certainly," Freya straightened her jacket. She pulled a folded sheet of paper from her pocket with a stick of charcoal and completed a half-drawn circle.

Elijah jerked back as the sigil grew beneath Klaus. By the time he rolled up his sleeve to check the bite on his arm the sound of wheels over wood reached his ears.

"Did you get the violence out of your system?" Hayley put the brakes on the stroller. "Because your daughter is about to wake up."

"He killed my doppelganger," he beat against the barrier holding him in place.

"I didn't kill her," Elijah rolled his eyes. "I turned her, and she is not yours."

"If she's anyone's she's Kol's," Freya's eyes narrowed.

"What the bloody hell does Kol have to do with this?" He glared at his brother.

Through the open door they heard a harsh gasp for air.

Caroline slipped from the room and Rebekah poked her head around the corner, but the younger vampire closed the door before she could actually see anything.

"They've been together for months," Caroline crossed her arms.

"And unless you wish to lose Kol," he folded his sleeve over the angry bite, "you'll leave them be. You have more than enough hybrids to protect Hope and a small store of Elena's blood for emergencies."

"I will kill her, and dagger both of you," he seethed.

"Actually…"

"Would you like to be added to the list Rebekah?" Klaus snapped.

"If you would let her finish," Elijah cut him off, "you would know what she was going to tell you. You'll have a hard time achieving either of your threats, brother. I'm certain by now you know the daggers are gone, and thanks to Freya Elena is quite durable."

* * *

Elena shot up. Her hands circled her throat attempting to soothe the burn. Strong fingers curled around her wrists, drawing her hands away from her neck.

Her tired eyes squinted against the late afternoon sunlight that filtered through the window. His face slowly came into focus until she could see the raw emotion blaze in his eyes.

"What have you done, darling?" He searched her eyes.

"I'd say I made a bad decision but," she swallowed the lump in her throat, "Elijah compelled me, so technically…"

He released her left hand to caress her cheek.

"Everything hurts," she breathed. She gripped her chest where her heart pulsed weakly and forced the remains of her human blood through her body. "Why does it hurt?" Her tongue ran along her teeth.

"It's your body," his thumb grazed her bottom lip, "telling you to feed."

Her eyes flickered to the nightstand.

Kol followed her gaze to the single vial of blood: a shot to jumpstart eternity. He twisted the cap off and held it out.

"Last chance to say no," he inhaled the rising smell of human blood. It belonged to her.

She plucked the thin tube from his hand. Her fingers tingled where their skin met.

Chewing her lip she focused on the blood for a moment before tipping it up. Euphoria spread over her tongue and down her throat, but she didn't get a chance to enjoy it before her skin blistered and bubbled. A shriek escaped her mouth as she scrambled back into the corner.

Kol moved to shade her from the sunlight.

"On the nightstand," she drew in ragged breaths as her skin healed.

His arm reached blindly behind him for the table until his fingers closed around a thin metal band. He slipped the silver on her right ring finger and examined the round stone that rose from twisting silver vines.

"I don't know how I feel about my brother giving you jewelry, darling," he flipped over her hand and kissed her palm.

"It's kind of a necessity," she gave a soft laugh.

"Still," he pulled her into his arms. The argument in the hall had calmed down in volume signifying that Hope had woken from her nap.

"If it bothers you that much you'll have to get me a replacement," she teased. Her arms snaked around his back. The steady thump of his heart filled the room.

"I might do that," he kissed the top of her head.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a review and let me know what you think :)


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